Safety risk management in Bosnian-Herzegovinian underground coal mines is not based on a systematic approach and standardized risk management methods. Mostly there is a traditional approach present, i.e. reaction to incidents/accidents that happen. This paper aims to point out the need for proactive approach introduction with an emphasis on importance of ventilation systems failure mechanism simulation analysis in planning of people and property defense and rescue in crisis situations. Based on ventilation parameters measuring results for a given research site (brown coal mine), a model was developed on which a simulation analysis was performed for three characteristic ventilation failure cases: spontaneous oxidation at the longwall exit, collapse at the entrance to the longwall and methane outburst - preparation of a new excavation field. VnetPC and CFD “Fluent” software packages were used to simulate mine ventilation. Keywords: risk management, brown coal mine, safety, ventilation system, longwall, simulation analysis, VnetPC, Fluent.

An assessment of the effectiveness of inertization of coal dust with inert dust is an important step in prevention of coal dust explosions. According to the tests on their explosive properties, coal dusts from all the mines in Bosnia and Herzegovina present an explosion hazard. The measure applied in order to prevent the transmission of deposited coal dust explosion, in both methaneous and non-methaneous pits, is wetting. The prescribed content of solid non-combustible particles in coal dust which makes the dust non-explosive (defined by BH regulations)  is based on the figures taken from Polish regulations. In order to get the content of inert component in coal dust which will prevent the transmission of explosion, relevant for BH coals, a research was conducted on brown coal dusts from the three largest producing coal mines in BH. In this case, limestone rock dust was used to inert coal dust. Tests were conducted in accordance with the methods defined by EN 14034-1 and EN 14034-2. The tests conducted indicate that the content of inert component in BH coal dusts differs from the amounts defined by the adopted Polish regulations and, consequently, that BAS (Bosnian and Herzegovinian) standards need to be changed accordingly.

Power plants, such as coal boilers, emit flue gases containing solid particles and gases resulting from the combustion of coal. One of the most dangerous pollutants emitted is certainly sulfur dioxide. Therefore, the reduction of emissions of sulfur dioxide has become a legal obligation. So far the most successful method of reducing the content of sulfur dioxide in the combustion products leaving the environment is injecting limestone or lime in combustion and to provide conditions for the reaction between the injected lime and sulfur dioxide from combustion products still in the combustion chamber. This method has been successfully used in thermal power plants to coal. This paper deals with the possibility of introducing the process of dry flue gas desulphurization created during coal combustion in boilers of smaller.

Major part of energy in conventional dwelling structures is used for space heating. At older dwelling structures with no heating insulation at outer walls, as well as structures with inadequate construction and heating insulation, heat losses are evident and unavoidable. Infra red thermography proved as a very powerful, successful and simple method for detecting heat losses through construction elements. It is possible to detect structural and insulation failings based on results interpretations without destruction, and thus to increase energy efficiency of structures by removing the failings. The paper gives an overview of IC thermography potential for detecting heat losses and for assessing energy efficiency of dwelling structures proven on several cases using FLIR i7 IC camera.

Tuzla is one of the most densely populated urban areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that has a long history of coal and salt exploration leaving nowadays abandoned mines. These mines represent an hazard to the infrastructure and the population in this area due to severe ground deformation and sink holes. Hazard identification and risk management is the central core of any organization’s strategic management. It is the process whereby organizations methodically assess the risks that threatens their activities, with the aim of achieving sustained benefit within each activity and across the portfolio of all activities. Assessment in Tuzla salt exploration case is derived based on series of geophysical and survey measurements, analyzed from the updated engineer-geological maps. Vulnerability zones were divided into 5 categories with downward evaluation of increase in hazard zones.